Ultiple-compartment collapsible tube



Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,404 N. M. HOPKINS MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLETUBE Filed Oct. 16, 1923 Patented ilan, 8, 1929.

. UNITED STATES PATIENTFOHFFICEI NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS, OF NEW YORK, N.Y., .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO GILMONT PRODUCTS CORPORATION.

. .ULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLE TUBE.

' Application filed October 16, 1923. Serial No. 668,829.

This invention relates to multiple compartment collapsible tubes adaptedto containreacting liquids, and has for its object to 1mprovement theconstructions heretofore proosed.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novelparts and combinations of parts constituting the tube, and in the novelpackage constituting an article ofmanufacture, all as will be more fullyhereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification 1n which like numerals designate like parts in all theviews Figure 1 is a sectional view of the upper portion of a doublecompartment tube and capclosure made in accordance with this 1nvention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a modlfied form of the inner tube removedfrom the outer tube;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the upper portion of the modifiedinner tube shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts shown 1n Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic sectional vlew of the completed doublecompartment tube provided with two photographic developing solutionshaving diiferent properties and compositions; and

Figure 7 is a still further modified form of the invention provided witha straight 0on1- cal neck on the tube 2.

1 indicates an outer collapsible tube preferably made of the usualpliable metal alloy, 2 a similar inner collapsible tube, 3 a screwthreaded neck on the tube 1,- 4 a suitable neck on the tube 2 adapted tofit liquid tight the opening 5 with which the neck 3 is provided as bestindicated in Figures 4 and 5. The neck 3 is provided with one or morecapillary grooves 6 whose dimensions are too small to permit liquid topass when the other end 7 of the tube 1 is closed and no pressure isexerted on said tube, but said dimensions are sufficiently large topermit liquid to freely pass through the exits 6 when pressure isexerted on said tube 1 as by rolling up said end 7 or byotherwisecompressing said tube. It is found in practice that if these exits 6 areof a V-shape and are say in depth between 1/64 and 1/32 of an inch,whilethey are say about 1/16 to 1/32 of an inch in width, they willprevent the liquid 8 in the outer tube from escaping except whenpressure is applied. The neck 4 of the inner tube is preferably providedwith the chamber 9 as shown, and with the capillary orifice 10, whichlike the exits 6, is of such dimensions as will prevent the liquid 11contained by'the inner tube from escaplng, except when pressure isapplied to said inner tube. It isfound in practice that v a diameter ofabout 1/32 of an inch for the exit 10 gives satisfactory results. Theextreme end 13 of the neck 4 is or may be slightly extended beyond theplane or surface 14 of the neck 3 as best shown in Figure 1, or it maybein the same plane as said surface 14, as mdicated in Fig. 7. When saidextreme end does extend beyond said surface 14, it contacts with theresilient or cork material 15 in the cap 16 when the latter is in itsclosing position as will be readily understood.

17 represents any suitable linings or coatings for the tubes 1 and 2, toprotect the metal from the action of the liquids 8 and 11. These l n ngsor coatings may be varied, in compos1t1on, to suit the chemical naturesof the liquids 8 and 11 but ordinarily parafline will be foundsatisfactory.

From the foregoing it will be clear that one may place in the outer tube1 aliquid 8 and in the inn *5 tube 2 a liquid 11 which would react withsaid liquid 8 and store these "two liquids without suflering thedeteriorations which would result if they were stored in a mixedcondition.

In other words, it is well known, for example, that one of the presentdevelopers for photographic dry plates consists of two powders ofdifferent chemical compositions. One of these powders is usuallydissolved in a certain volume of water to form what I may call solutionA. The other powder is likewise usually dissolved in a certain volume ofwater to form what I may call solution B. These two solutions A and Bare next usually mixed in a receptacle in the proportions of 1 part ofsolution A to 2 parts of solution B, and to the mmixture is next addedanother volume of a considerable annoyance in preparing his solutions Aand B, and his final solution, but

he must throw away and lose what is left over of his said finalsolution.

With the aid of this invention, on'the other hand, these objections areavoided, for I make up solution A of the proper strength and store it inthe outer tube 1, where it becomes liquid 8 and will keep indefinitely.I also make up solution B of the proper strength and store it in tube 2where it becomes liquid 11 isolated from li uid 8, where it likewisewill keep indefinite y. The capillary exits 6 and 10 prevent theseliquids 8 and 11 from accidentally leaving their light tight containers,when the cap 16 is removed, and said ea keeps them hermetically sealedwhen the lig t tight package is stored or shipped.

On the other hand, when one wishes to develop a hotographic plate, hehas only to remove t 0 cap 16 and to exert pressure on the outer tubewhich will also compress the inner tube, or to roll up the end 7 of thetwo tubes, whereupon the two solutions 8 and 11 will at once beavailable for use. In order to deliver from the double tube containerthe two liquids 8 and 11 in the ri ht proportions, I prefer to make theexit ori ces 6 and 10 of the same ca acity, and to so var the strengthsof the so utions as to cause sai exits to deliver the desiredproportions of the chemicals contained in the tubes 1 and 2. But, ofcourse, the same results may be otherwise obtained, as by varying andproperly proportioning the capacities of the two tubes.

In the some hat modifiedform of the invention shown i Figures 2 and 3,the exit orifices 20 corresponding to the orifices 6 instead of beinglocated in the neck 3 are located in the neck4, otherwise theconstruction is or may be the same as in Figures 1 and 6..

In the still further modified form of the invention shown in Figure 7,the neck 21 corresponding to the neck 4 instead of being curved, is madecone shaped as illustrated, its coacting orifices 22 are accordinglymade straight instead of curved, and its extreme end 13 terminates in ornear the plane 14 of the neck 3 as shown.

It will now be clear that in all the forms of the invention I haveprovided a double compartment collapsible tube with ca illary exitsadapted to contain and isolate uring shipment and storage, a wide rangeof liquids of diflerent compositions or properties, and to keep them ina fresh condition ready for instant use in the form of a mixture. Itwill 1. A multiple compartment collapsible.

container closed at oneend and provided at its other end with acapillary exit in communication with the interior of one compartment andbeing of dimensions too small to permit a liquid to passwhen not underres sure but of a suflicicut size to pass said liquid when pressure isapplied thereto, said multiple compartment container having also an exitin communication with the interior of also provided with an exit incommunication with another compartment, the neck portion of the innertube extending beyond the lane of the neck ortion of the outer tube; ansaid tubes provi ed with a common closure.

3. A multiple compartment collapsible container consisting of a air ofconcentrical- 1y disposed collapsible tu s provided with a hning andhaving neck portions fitting liquid tight the one within the other whennot under pressure and said neck portions also provided with capillaryexits adapted to pass liquid when pressure is applied, the neck por-'tion of the inner tube extending beyondthe plane of the neck portion ofthe outer tube; and said tubes provided with a common closure.

4. A multiple compartment collapsible container havin inner and outercompartments andclosef at one end,'having a pair of inner and outerrelatively disposed neck members, said outer neck member beingprovidedwith'an outwardly tapering or converging opening extendinglongitudinally therethrough, and the inner neck member being formed witha smooth tapered outer surfaceformed to fit within said tapered openingof the outer neck member to provide a liquid tight joint between saidneck members, one of said ta ered surfaces having one or more groovesormed longitudinally. thereof and providing an exit orifice incommunication with the outer compartment so small as to prevent passageof liquid except under pressure, and the inner neck member also beingprovided with an exit orifice in communication with the inner compartmen5. The herein described article of manufacture comprising a plurality ofcollapsible 5 tubes disposed one within another so as to provideseparate compartments for the reception and isolation of differentliquids, said article having adjacent capillary exits in communicationwith the respective compartments and being. too small to permit liquidto 10 pass except under pressure. I

In testimony whereof I aflixby signature.

NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS.

